Another 'Remember the Old Days?' topic

[Sekhmet]

On 9/29/2023 at 12:52 AM, Northern Aurora said:

Our favorite ship was the Century. 

In 2019 we were on a B2B2B in the Mediterranean and while sitting on our balcony we saw ship in port.   Could make out the painted over "X."  Goggled the ship name and it was the old Century.

That would have been Marella Cruises "Explorer 2"?  Galaxy has become Marella's "Explorer" and Mercury has become "Marella Voyager". (Why they didn't continue the sequence and call it Explorer 3?).

 

Oddly enough, we have sailed with both Century (in 1998) and Galaxy (2001), then more recently with both of them in their latest incarnations - Explorer in 2020 immediately before the COVID lockdown, and Explorer 2 earlier this year.  Both ships have stood the test of time pretty well, thanks to a basic good design which still works well.  The biggest change I can remember is that the Casinos have been converted to regular lounges/bars, with just a small casino area on one side of Deck 12 Observation lounge at the front.

[QuestionEverything]

Sailed C from 1991 onwards, started on Zenith.

In the 1990's and thereafter for about 15 years, C was the Oceania of the day.

It was premium.

Remembering:

* High staff ratio

* No nickle and dime

* Full high tea with cart, fancy (I mean fancy crab sandwiches), waitstaff with white gloves

* Wow, an actual forward viewing lounge

* Galleries with ocean liner photographs and paintings

* Specialty restaurant with the Olympic dining room wood work on the walls

* Like previously mentioned, the potato veggie basket, which was routine

* Like previously mentioned, the delicate pastry swan in the most magnificent chocolate sauce, also routine

* No class segmentation, everyone accessed the public areas

Those were the good old days indeed.

 

[doghog]

The one thing I don't miss from the good ole days is formal evenings. Something we always enjoyed from the good ole days was the CC HH when it was a nightly event from 5 to 7:PM. Not what it is now. 

[TeaBag]

On 9/28/2023 at 5:46 PM, doghog said:

Our first cruise was with American Hawaii Cruise Line on the SS Constitution in 1991. We were hooked. Second cruise was with Celebrity on the Zenith in 1994. We thought this ship is huge. We'll never find our way around. Paid ($35.00 per person) to join the Captains Club. I believe it was called the Founders Club (?). 

Yes, you're right.  It was Founders Club.  I think everyone got their $35 back as an OBC later, but there was a period of about 6 years where we didn't cruise so we didn't get it back.

Michaels Club back then was not just for suite passengers.  This was where we went to hear Perry Grant and laugh our heads off......"positions everyone!"

[doghog]

13 minutes ago, TeaBag said:

Yes, you're right.  It was Founders Club.  I think everyone got their $35 back as an OBC later, but there was a period of about 6 years where we didn't cruise so we didn't get it back.

Michaels Club back then was not just for suite passengers.  This was where we went to hear Perry Grant and laugh our heads off......"positions everyone!"

If I remember correctly (questionable) when the CC dropped the membership fee all of us that paid were given 5 CC cruise points toward the new tier level program. 

[jmfdr]

2 hours ago, TeaBag said:

Yes, you're right.  It was Founders Club.  I think everyone got their $35 back as an OBC later, but there was a period of about 6 years where we didn't cruise so we didn't get it back.

Michaels Club back then was not just for suite passengers.  This was where we went to hear Perry Grant and laugh our heads off......"positions everyone!"

Michael's Club was our "go to spot" after dinner!  Especially when Perry Grant was performing!  What fun!!!

[Traveling Fools]

On 9/29/2023 at 12:36 PM, Luvtoeat said:

66-67 trained at Ft. Meade and we all went over by boat.

Do you ever attend the reunions?

[danceswithphones]

On 9/28/2023 at 12:56 PM, Traveling Fools said:

69-70, Departed RVN days before the Cambodia invasion.

70-71 with four different artillery battalions under the general umbrella of IFFV. They kept deactivating from under me. Everyone was headed for the exits by then.

 

[ECCruise]

Sailed every ship except Meridian from inception (Horizon to Reflection) to E Class and Flora, in which we have zero interest.

 

Definitely a completely different cruise line today from what it was--not that is necessarily good or bad--and we have 4 sailings booked in the next  year or so, but going in knowing that it no longer will have the feel of what hooked us 25 years ago. 

[Luvtoeat]

4 hours ago, Traveling Fools said:

Do you ever attend the reunions?

No, it was just so long ago but a time not forgotten.

[cruise47]

Our first cruise was on the Century. One word:" excellent"  best describe our cruise experience. 

[riredsox]

The fabulous Celebrity Mercury was and will always be the best ship in the fleet.  They will never match that crew (who all came back to it after vacation).   On the last cruise the Captain and Hotel Director cried onstage because the crew was breaking up.  I met lifelong friends in the elite lounge that I still sail with today.   Sadly those days of crew being like family coming back to the same ship after vacation are gone.   I have sailed almost every ship in the fleet and nothing has come close to the Mercury.  Oh and we weren’t nickeled and dimed either.  

[C 2 C]

On 9/30/2023 at 1:35 PM, TeaBag said:

Yes, you're right.  It was Founders Club.  I think everyone got their $35 back as an OBC later, but there was a period of about 6 years where we didn't cruise so we didn't get it back.

Michaels Club back then was not just for suite passengers.  This was where we went to hear Perry Grant and laugh our heads off......"positions everyone!"

 

[C 2 C]

Just now, C 2 C said:

 

 

[riredsox]

Our first Celebrity cruise was in May of 2001 on the Horizon.  The seas were so rough people flew home from Bermuda.  We loved it and it rained every day but 2!  We also paid $35 each for our Founders Club and at some point got OBC and 5 points which made me Elite.  I still have my CC card.